I was born in Aceh and spent half of my childhood in the dormitory of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), with an environment where tolerance is highly valued. Spent my childhood in Palembang City /South Sumatra with Yogyakarta blood from my father and Acehnese blood from my mother was not an obstacle for me in doing activities and having social life. Every week, I always go to my grandparent's house and learn how to act as a human being with Yogyakarta culture.
“Islam rahmatan lilalamin” always rings in my head when studying Islamic values. This phrase did not relevant to the reality when I moved to North Aceh District, my mother’s hometown, when I was during junoir high school. I tasted something different and bitter. Felt like an anomaly to the culture, way of life, community, social order, and many things. After migrated to Aceh, everything I learned from my father's family was unaccepted and I had to follow everything from my mother side, the Acehnese culture, taught me. Started from the language, behavior, and way to see the world. This period of learning new things was tough for me.
I learned many new things when studied in Junior High School in North Aceh in North Aceh. One of them was discrimination. At that time, only me, my mother, and my younger sister was moved to Aceh, while my father remained in Palembang. I did not optimum guidance from my parents, especially my father, so it was difficult for me to adapt well in the new environment.
the discrimination and bullying toward me got more intense, either as a person or as the president of Student Council (OSIS). when I continued my education in high school with a boarding system. Everything I learned in Palembang, especially related to Islam, was wrong. I felt worthless and humiliated for the knowledge I had. I got an unpleasant call when I was at SMAN 3 Putra Bangsa because did not know my identity. Being bombarded by various cultural values makes it difficult for me to digest it. Debates with friends about Aceh and Indonesia often rise. The debate never ended while living in a high school dormitory. At that time, I did not understand why my friends were so sensitive and rejected me when I said that Indonesia had been colonized by the Dutch for nearly 350 years. The climax was when I became the president of Student Council. I was opposed not based on ideas, but rather my identity as a person.
I continued my study in Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, Banda Aceh. I felt unsuited to socialize with Acehnese because I did no't really understand the collective memory of the Acehnese people. Additionaly at that time I was living in a my relative’s house who were all from the Acehnese tribe. Sometimes my cousins (Acehnese) say, “what a Javanese?” it was not said to me, but it broke my heart to hear it because I have Yogyakarta/Javaness blood. On other occasion, when I was in the Yogyakarta community with my family, I heard negative comments about Aceh.
Aceh and its people have a different view of the world. Aceh at that time was a sovereign state or better known as the Sultanate of Aceh which existed from 1500 AD to 1890s AD. When the island of Java was colonized by the Dutch and parts of Sumatra fell to the Dutch, Aceh was just controlled by the Dutch in the 1890s and only in Banda Aceh City.
The Sultanate of Aceh had a British defense pact agreement when the Dutch East Indies attacked in 1880. The British betrayed and Aceh only received help from Turkey during the war. The Aceh Sultanate was at war with the Dutch East Indies with armies originating in the eastern part of modern Indonesia. The Sultanate of Aceh finally had to submit to the Dutch East Indies and move the government to Aceh Besar. Then in 1890-1945 there was a guerrilla war, at which time the second world war occurredand fought the Japanese. President Soekarno at that time came to Aceh to ask the people of Aceh to help fight the military aggression carried out by the Dutch after the declaration of independence and as capital in the formation of the state. Then the people of Aceh voluntarily gave and collected jewelries made of gold to be donated to Indonesia.
Air susu dibalas air tuba. That's how the people of Aceh see the President Soekarno's decision when Aceh was decided to be included as part of Indonesia without the consent of the Acehnese people. Whereas in international agreements, colonized areas must be returned to the hands of the original inhabitants. But, the acting government in Jakarta proclaimed that Aceh is part Indonesia, this act provoked people of Aceh. Aceh finally agree to incorporated to be part Indonesia, then President Soekarno wanted Aceh appealed support from the people of Aceh after Dutch lunch military aggression to newly county. The people of Aceh help Soekarno by gave him a plane for presidential operation. After all the supports,President Soekarno failed to fulfill his promise to give Aceh autonomy to manage its own region and establish an Islamic sharia government. Instead, President Soekarno incorporated Aceh with Sumatra Utara which is has different culture, value, and way of life. This led to upheaval in Aceh and a Stronger movement against the Indonesian government intensified .
During the leadership of President Suharto, precisely in 1971, Mobil Oil Indonesia, an American oil and gas company, discovered oil reserves in North Aceh District and contributes to the Indonesian economy with revenues of around $1 billion per year. The company is doing exploitation and drilling. The company activities resulted the world’s largest production of natural gas. Unfortunately, the acquisition and achievementhad no major impact on the welfare of the people in North Aceh and Aceh Province.
A person named Hasan Tiro who is a resident of Pidie, then declared resistance against Indonesia in 1976. He, who was in America at the time, returned to Aceh to form the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). He considered that the government of President Soeharto was dictatorial and unfair to Aceh, especially revenue sharing from the Mobil Oil Indonesia company only benefits Jakarta as the National Capital and after many Jakarta policy that didn’t benefits to people of Aceh, while at the same time most of the people of Aceh suffer from poverty.
24 December 2004, there was a tsunami in Aceh which devastated the mother Aceh city, Banda Aceh. Approximately 500,000 people were affected , either directly or indirectly from the tsunami. In 2005, leaders from the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) agreed to a ceasefire and end the decades - long civil war.
In currently the policy of Indonesia towards Aceh still the same, the government program that makes North Sumatra an economic center is like cutting the identity of the Acehnese people. The people of Aceh, which were once known as a multiracial and cosmopolitan society, have now become a parochial. The soul of Aceh was lost due to the closure of the port in Aceh which was diverted to North Sumatra. Whereas when the Sultanate of Aceh, the sea became the center of knowledge because trade, culture and religion, and social grew from the sea.
Indonesia or the deception of the Dutch East Indies will remain a symbol of colonialism for the people of Aceh and if these sensitive matters are still violated, it is possible that similar conflicts will occur in the future. Aceh and Indonesia are more or less like Ukraine and Russia. A fraternal dispute destined by God to have different interests.
I understand and forgive the reasons friendsin high school they didn't like me as a leader because I represented an outsider (Javanese), my parents worked in the TNI, and I have Yogyakarta blood. If described, I become the enemy of the Acehnese people themselves and as a symbol of Jakarta's hand against the suffering of the Acehnese people. They forgot that I also have Acehnese blood. My great-grandfather was an Acehnese soldier who fought against people who had different interests in Aceh and my great- great-grandmother also had an Islamic study institution.
My intention is to take global mental health and society because the syllabus I learn a lot about inter-disciplinary global mental health literature including public health, medical anthropology, social work, psychology, international development, mad studies and transcultural psychiatry. My experience as a practicing counselor, mental health advocate, social work, and personal experience about how culture, values, identities influence other people's view of the world and mental health.
As I struggled to adapt to the new culture and way of life in Aceh, I also faced challenges with my mental health. The constant debates with friends and the feeling of being an outsider took a toll on my emotional well-being. I often felt lonely and misunderstood, and it was difficult for me to find a sense of belonging in my new environment.
The discrimination and bullying I faced in high school also had a negative impact on my mental health. Feeling worthless and humiliated because of my knowledge and identity made me question my worth and value as a person. It was a difficult time for me and I struggled with feelings of self-doubt and low self-esteem.
As I continued my education at college, I sought support and counseling to help me cope with the challenges I was facing. It was a long and difficult journey, but I eventually learned to embrace my cultural identity and find a sense of belonging in my new community. I also learned the importance of seeking help and support when facing mental health challenges.
Throughout my experiences in Aceh, I have learned that cultural understanding is not always easy and it can have a significant impact on our mental health. It is important to embrace and appreciate diversity, and to seek support when facing challenges.
In addition to the challenges, I faced with my own mental health, my experiences in Aceh have also taught me the importance of understanding global mental health and how it can impact policy decisions. Different cultures and communities have their own unique beliefs and values when it comes to mental health, and it is important for policymakers to take these into account when making decisions that affect those communities.
For example, in Aceh, the cultural values and beliefs about mental health may differ from those in Palembang or other parts of Indonesia. It is important for policymakers to understand and respect these differences, and to ensure that mental health policies and resources are tailored to fit the needs of the community.
I have learned that global mental health is an important consideration when making policy decisions, and that it is crucial to listen to and understand the needs and experiences of different cultures and communities. By promoting cultural understanding and working towards policies that fit the needs of different communities, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all.
It was a clear dream, in which a second conflict in Aceh was foreseen, where the TNI and GAM would engage in mutual destruction. The dream evoked feelings of sadness and tears upon witnessing the tragedy of two families killing one another. Through the study of global mental health and society, it is hoped that policies can be developed that foster understanding, respect, and a sense of uniqueness among different groups. Ultimately, this would lead to the creation of fair policies for all individuals.
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